Synopsis

Pod has been puzzling over the story of the Woman using expensive perfume on Jesus. Pod is with the disciples in thinking it's a waste of money. But he learns that extravagance (giving without counting the cost) is the natural response when we know we are loved by God.

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'Extravagance' by Martin Day

Standard introduction and entrance (Compere talking is interrupted by spaceship landing sound effects, What's that I can hear? It sounds like a spaceship. It must be Pod, come to visit us again. Projector shows external scenes with spaceship slide landing. I see that some of the trees still haven’t come into leaf yet! Pod bangs on the door, Compere opens the door, Pod enters)

Hello Pod, how are you today?
Do you know I’m feeling rather puzzled.Well I can’t say I’m surprised, you’re always puzzled about something aren’t you?
Not at all! I’m only puzzled very occasionally. And when I am, I come to see you here at the church, because you always seem to have answers to my questions… or at least a different way of looking at things. And I sometimes don’t visit you for weeks and weeks do I? So I can’t be puzzled all the time.So what is it that makes you puzzled Pod?
Oh, I don’t know really, it only seems to happen when I’m thinking!So you’re saying that you don’t think very often then?
No, I generally find it easier not to.I think I’m understanding now: But what I meant was, what’s got you puzzled this time?
Ah, I’m glad you asked me that: It’s the story of the woman and the expensive perfume…The one where she pored it over Jesus’ head?
That’s right. Can we read it, please?Yes, I think so. We have the technology (nodding to the projectionist).
No, No don’t touch that, it’ll set my rocket off! Oh, I see. Oh yes, can I read it please?Fire away then…(Pause) Where does it start?At the top here.(Pause) ..And where should I stop?At the bottom here.(Pause) … But I can’t read. Does that matter?I’ll read it shall I? ... (Reads Mark 14: 3-9 [International Children’s Bible])…
I like that last bit – ‘coss we just did that didn’t we – we just did remember her.Yes, we did
Now, The bit I don’t understand is the bit about how much the perfume is worth. How much is that in new money?Well a year’s wages that might be.. say Thirty thousand pounds.
Thirty grand!! Now that is ridiculous I would never spend more than 15 pound on a present, 20 pound tops, and it wasn’t even Jesus’ birthday. No, the others were quite right the money should have been spent on the poor… if at all.But it’s not for you or them to tell the woman what she should do with her money! Jesus gave up everything for us, just because he loves us. And that woman understood that nothing done for Jesus could be too extravagant. She knew, and Jesus knew, that her love for him wasn’t limited by money or anything else. Anyone that really understands that Jesus loves them can be extravagant for him too.
Hold up, hold up! You’re loosing me now. You’re using big words where I’ rather that they were littler. What does extra-vent mean?I’m sorry Pod. Extravagant is when something is that important to you that you forget about the cost. It’s when you do something bigger or better because it’s worth doing it well. It’s when a little would have done, but you want to do it the very best. In this story a little perfume would have been enough to give a nice smell, but the woman wanted to do it the best she could, so she gave all the perfume not even thinking about the cost. We can give our best for Jesus in all sorts of ways. And I don’t just mean with money!
Oh no, you don’t mean worship do you. Like wafting about, and twirling, and flag waving. Now that’s too extravagant for me too! I can’t get on at all with all that stuff.That might be what it means for some people, but the story isn’t just about worship you know. It’s about serving Jesus. It’s a wonderful thing to know that nothing you do for Jesus, can be too extravagant. He’s always worth it, and the sky’s the limit. You know most of us live such careful lives. Which is right when it comes to our own needs and wants. But it’s a beautiful way to live, to live extravagantly when it comes to Jesus. “Life in all it’s fullness” was how Jesus put it. It’s great to be that free.
Wow! That sounds just brilliant! And all of you feel that way about Jesus? That’s just the coolest way to go about life. I really do envy you having a relationship with Jesus like that. I’d give anything to have that kind of freedom. …But I must say that I still would have kept the money.Oh, Pod it’s not as hard as seems, and it’s not even something that we have to do. It’s just a natural response to a God that loves us so much. And it doesn’t seem an expensive way to be, when it’s for someone you love.
Well it’s something that I can’t understand from the outside. I guess that you have to be in love with Jesus for it to work. But I have learnt something important on this trip, that to give extravagantly to Jesus is to be really free, and is a mysterious secret that you can only understand if you really, really know that Jesus loves you. (sighs) Well I’d better be going now, I’ll come back again the next time I’m puzzled. Goodbye